There are several reasons that ink-jet printing has become a popular way of recording images on various media surfaces, particularly paper. Some of these reasons include low printer noise, capability of high-speed recording, and multi-color recording. These advantages can be obtained at a relatively low price to consumers. However, though there has been great improvement in ink-jet printing, accompanying this improvement are increased demands by consumers in this area, e.g., higher speeds, higher resolution, full color image formation, increased stability, increased image durability, etc.
In general, ink-jet inks are either dye- or pigment-based inks. Both are typically prepared in a liquid vehicle that contains the dye and/or the pigment. Dye-based ink-jet inks generally use a liquid colorant that is water soluble, and pigmented inks typically use a solid or dispersed colorant to achieve color. In many systems, ink-jet ink printed images are not as durable as laser printed images. As such, investigations continue into systems and formulations that can compete favorably with laser printing technology with respect to image durability, including improved smudge resistance, water fastness, humid fastness, and the like.